


Perfect

by TurquoiseTerrier



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Birthday, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-08
Updated: 2017-08-08
Packaged: 2018-12-12 16:48:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11741136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TurquoiseTerrier/pseuds/TurquoiseTerrier
Summary: 22nd April 2016. Robert's 30th birthday isn't bad, as birthdays go, but it gets much better...





	Perfect

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ScrapyardBoyfriends](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScrapyardBoyfriends/gifts).



> For Jenny, who is awesome and a really fantastic friend to me. <333 Happy Birthday!!!

Robert leaned back on the sofa in the Woolpack back room, stretching his arms toward the ceiling and hearing his joints cracking. He groaned in appreciation, before his eyes widened. “Getting old, Sugden,” he muttered to himself, before deciding to get himself the cuppa he was craving. Halfway to the kettle, he snorted to himself, shaking his head. “Cracking joints, craving tea... you're thirty not bloody ninety.”

He was settled on the sofa watching Cash in the Attic with his cuppa and a biscuit (he likes dipping them, okay?) ten minutes later when Aaron crashed through the door from the hallway with his usual grace, hair damp from the shower. Aaron planted a sloppy kiss on his cheek (a new thing, but one that Robert liked a lot) and headed for the kitchen.

“Happy birthday!” he said, voice muffled by the cupboard he had his head stuck in, looking for cereal.

“Thanks,” Robert replied, grinning at his boyfriend's (something else new, and something else Robert liked a hell of a lot) antics. He watched as Aaron munched his cereal, slurped up the milk (ew) and grabbed his coat from the back of the door.

“I'm sorry Robert, but I have to take Liv into the school, sort out a few things for her starting properly on Monday. That is, if I can find her, she seems to have disappeared.” He bit his lip, obviously unhappy that he was leaving Robert today of all days, and Robert took pity on him, leaning up and pressing their lips together softly.

“It's fine,” he smiled. “I'll go and see Vic and then Diane and we'll spend some time together later, alright?”

Aaron nodded. “And Andy?”

Robert laughed. “Don't push it.” He grinned, and Aaron left. He settled back down into the sofa and watched the end of the show before deciding to make his way over to Keepers. He needed some more clothes anyway; he'd been sleeping at the pub most nights with Aaron and had finally ran out of clean shirts.

He opened the front door to the cottage and was nearly flattened by a blonde whirlwind. Staggering to the side, he grabbed the doorframe to stop himself falling flat on his face. “Vic?” He said, bewildered.

“Sorry, can't stop! Late for work!” She called back, getting halfway across the road before she darted back, giving him a quick hug, happy birthday whispered in his ear and she was gone.

Robert tilted his head. “I thought you weren't supposed to be at work today...” he muttered to himself, heading into the cottage and slamming the door.

*

At least Diane had the time for him. He took her out to lunch, happy to spend the afternoon with her wandering around Hotten. He'd gotten a text from Aaron; apologising for taking so long but he'd needed to get Liv some school stuff that he could only get in Leeds, so would be back late. Aaron had wished him a nice afternoon with Diane, which puzzled Robert but, assuming Chas had told Aaron where he was, he put it out of his mind as he followed Diane into yet another department store.

*

It was gone six by the time Diane finally finished her shopping trip. Robert was laden with bags, but smiling. It had been nice, just spending the time with her.

Robert pulled his Porsche into the Woolpack car park and they got out. Dropping the bags in the hallway by the stairs, he opened the door into the back room of the pub and went through, Diane close behind. He was idly wondering what he could persuade Vic to cook for him when he glanced up, and couldn't stop the grin spreading across his face.

Vic was at the table, along with Aaron. Chas and Liv were stood in the kitchen area behind along with Adam and Doug. They all had stupid grins on their faces, and the dining table was heaving with food (he knew Vic wasn't supposed to be working today), the centrepiece a large cake, done to look like his Porsche with a 30 sticking up out of the roof.

His smile softened, and he pulled his lip into his mouth, not sure what to say.

“You didn't think we'd forgotten, did ya?” Aaron said, getting up to press a kiss to Robert's lips. “Soft lad,” he finished, dodging the half-hearted smack to the arm Robert aimed at him then letting Robert pull him into a hug instead.

“Thank you,” Robert whispered into Aaron's ear.

“It wasn't all me,” Aaron whispered back. “Right, you gonna sit down?” He finished, louder.

“Yeah, come on birthday boy, we've been waiting for ages for you!” Liv piped up.

Robert grinned, taking his seat next to Aaron.

*

A while later, Robert found himself being tugged out the back door and towards Aaron's VW. “What? Where are we going? Liv...” he protested.

Aaron shushed him. “Mum's minding Liv for the night, I gave her fifty quid to behave and she better or else, and you...” he moved closer, tugging Robert in. “You, and me... are going out.”

“Oh are we?” Robert replied, flirting.

“Mhmm. Not that we're going to get there if we don't go now, so get in the car,” Aaron said, giving Robert a shove towards the passenger door. “And before you ask, you'll find out when we get there.”

*

The hotel room was a posher one, Aaron had obviously gone out of his way to make it something special. He didn't have to; Robert would have been happy anywhere as long as it was with Aaron, but the big, comfy bed and the view of the Dales out of the window looked like it would be spectacular in daylight, and Robert lay back on the bed with a contented sigh. Aaron perched himself on the edge of the bed, and Robert stretched.

“So, you brought me here to have your wicked way with me, have you?” He said with a wink. Aaron frowned a little, and Robert changed tack. “I'm joking,” he said.

“I know,” Aaron replied quietly. “Sorry, I just-”

“It's okay,” Robert interrupted, sitting up. “No rush. Your pace, remember?” Aaron nodded, and got up from the bed to dig around in the holdall he'd brought with him.

Robert turned onto his side and watched Aaron for a few minutes, until the younger man finally stood up, brandishing a DVD box in his hands. Robert saw the cover, and raised an eyebrow.

“Game of Thrones? But you-”

“It's your birthday,” Aaron cut him off. “I'm sure I can manage.”

Robert smiled. “Thanks.”

Aaron put the first disc into the player, then hopped onto the bed and lay down next to Robert, staring at the ceiling. “So... I thought, nice hotel room, DVDs, room service, and just the two of us, all night.” He looked sideways to Robert. “That okay?”

It was more than okay. “It's perfect.” Robert told him. Then, unable to stop himself, “I love you,” Robert said. “I don't expect you to say it back,” he continued as Aaron opened his mouth. “I just wanted you to know that, that's all.”

Aaron nodded. “Okay, but... you know?”

“I know.”

Robert grabbed the remotes and started the DVD up, while Aaron made himself comfortable tucked up against his side. Robert wrapped one arm around the younger mans waist and relaxed into the bedding.

Perfect indeed.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on tumblr! [TurquoiseTerrier](http://turquoiseterrier.tumblr.com) Come say hello! :)


End file.
